Same, I always feel happier and more confident going into a game against a big team when they are in good form and no-one expects us to get anything.
I agree every Saint fan should be confident, everything suggest we're the better team at the momet. But that makes me uncomfortable. It's silly superstition, I guess.
One thing that can pretty much be guaranteed - Adebayor will score against us. Always been an out of favour or on-as-sub big name, past his best, who does that agianst us. We need to bring our A game, as tendency is for players to go in to this one thinking we have the upper hand. I'd say we could easily screw this one up - and I count a draw as screwing it up (ie. an opportunity missed).
I don't think Poch well let the players take anything for granted here, he will be reminding them they have top players and they are a wounded animal I suspect.
It was said recently by a player that Mauricio only talks about our plan and doesn't spend more than 5 mins talking about the opposition. Mauricio says himself that we play the same way for every game. I'm sure it's a bit more complicated than that, but nice that we set our stall out and say to the opposition, 'deal with it.'
I'm not sure it's totally possible to reshape human nature, though. Agree with Rich that Poch will be making sure they're not complacent, but hard to totally drive that knowledge out of your mind when you're on the pitch. Like when a team goes down to ten men, something of the backs-against-the-wall spirit can kick in that wasn't there previously. Often need that underdog or fighting mentality to give you that bit extra. Guess what I'm hoping is that Poch is successful in psyching them up properly. Can look back at Norwich and Villa as points dropped, and would look back at this as the same if we don't get all three points.
Listening to Radio 4 just now (it's an age thing) their More or Less numbers program says Spurs are the Prem team which has the most improved results over the Christmas period. That's compared to the rest of the years results. Must get out more . . . .
I don't believe Adebayor will score against us. In fact, i think he'll be useless Fonte nad Lovren are both physically strong enought to cope with him. He's not the fastest so he shouldn't be able to exploit our high line, and he's probably not very fit. He hasn't featured the whole season, so he was fresh against West Ham, but against us his legs will probably tire quickly.
I don't think Poch does need to reshape human nature on this one. Time was when Saints would fall at every excuse and hurdle. 1] Ex-Saint returns and scores against us. 2] Opposition player out for ages, returns to the line-up and scores against us. 3] Opposition player who scored against us in last season's fixture scores against us again. And so the permutations would continue, but this club, under this ownership doesn't tend to fall into that category anymore. Sure, there may be the odd rare incidence, but we don't really have bogey teams anymore, we win on SKY or other live matches, we win away from home and against good opposition. Those old hoo-doos are certainly tumbling.
Is everyone forgetting we lost a home game against Villa only a couple of weeks ago? We're a decent side now but we're still very capable of losing games we should win.
No I don't think everyone has, that's one of the reasons I've been vocally pessimistic about this fixture over the last few days, or at least more pessimistic than most.
I know it might come as a shock to some but there have been games in the last four seasons that we should have won but we didn't. I'm not saying we shouldn't be confident, and it's a game that we should probably be considered favourites for, but we still have important players missing and we're playing a good team. Any result is possible.
Nosing of osvaldo on the training gallery but Clyne looks fit. Still think a bit early for him to come straight back in. So Gazza Chambers Fonte Lovren Shaw Morgan Cork Lallana Prowse Rodriguez Rickie Subs Cropper Jos Clyne Reed Davis Gallagher Gaston 2-1 Saints. Late winner from Gaston
I know it might come as a shock but I did say, sure, there may be the odd rare incidence..! You know what..? Sometimes I think you are just so keen to reply that you just scan rather than read. I'm not saying we can't lose either.
